The Gainesville Haymarket Youth Football League (GHFYL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a character building program for both boys and girls of the area through fundamental instructions associated with youth tackle football.

Tackle Football Player participants must be at least 7 years of age and no older than 16 years of age as of October 1st of the current calendar year.

There is no requirement for a medical physical to participate in the Fairfax County Youth Football League. It is the responsibility of each parent/guardian to be aware of their child’s physical condition for continued participation.

A parent or guardian is expected to be in attendance (or make alternative arrangements to have a responsible party in attendance) for all practice sessions in case practice is called short due to foul weather or other circumstance.

Please keep in mind this is a physical sport requiring the children to be willing and able to exercise 5 nights a week, 2 hours a night until the school year begins. Thereafter practice will be held 3 nights per week, 2 hours a night.

Players are placed into divisions based on their weight and age. Refer to the weight/age chart below. This information can also be found on the FCYFL and Grizzly website for greater detail. Please keep in mind the weight/age chart outlines the lowest and highest weights allowable for each age group. For example, a 9-year-old can not weigh more than 105 lbs. to participate; a 10-year-old can not weigh less than 80 lbs. or greater than 115 lbs. These restrictions are in place to keep the participation and play fair and balanced among the age groups.

DIVISIONS:

Ankle Biters – generally ages 7, 8;

80 lbs. – generally ages 9, 10, 11;

90 lbs. – generally ages 10, 11, 12;

100 lbs. – generally ages 11, 12, 13;

115 lbs. – generally ages 12, 13, 14

130 lbs. – generally ages 13, 14, 15

155 lbs. – generally ages 13, 14, 15

WEIGH – IN:

Weigh-in will be conducted on Saturday mornings in mid to late August at Falls Church H.S.

Coaches will provide further instructive information to the Parents and Players.

Players are allowed to weigh-in once to determine their division.

Late weigh-in Players must pay a fee of TBD payable to the FCYFL.

Additional information regarding weigh-in dates, locations, and procedures is available for download from the Grizzly web site.

WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS TABLE:

Age

Team

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

AB

UNL

90

55

80LB

100

90

85

80

90LB

110

100

95

90

100LB

120

110

105

100

115LB

135

125

120

115

130LB

150

140

135

130

155LB

175

165

160

155

PLAYER IDENTIFICATION VERIFICATION:

The ONLY acceptable form of ID to play football in the Fairfax County Youth Football League is a State of Virginia DMV Walker ID.

Your child will need to provide a Virginia Walker ID, available at most DMV offices to receive equipment. This is used to verify a player’s address and age.

Players are required to provide their own black football pants with pads, cleats, mouthpiece, chin strap, cup, practice jerseys and game socks. This player supplied equipment can be purchased at major sporting goods stores such as Dicks Sporting Goods or online at Amazon.com, etc.

You must bring your Virginia Walker ID to equipment pickup in order to receive equipment. No equipment will be issued without displaying your Player’s Walker ID. See the ‘Player Identification Verification section above on how to obtain a Virginia Walker ID.

The GHYFL will provide game jerseys, helmets, and shoulder pads.

Players are required to return cleaned equipment at the end of the season and will be directed by the team coaching staff on how to return the equipment.

The credit card used for registration may be charged a fee for equipment not returned to GHYFL.

For Grizzly Flag Football Camp – We do NOT use helmets, shoulder pads or other safety equipment during this camp as this camp is designed purely for focus upon conditioning, skills development, and fundamentals.

For Grizzly Tackle Football Camp – We do NOT use helmets, shoulder pads or other safety equipment during this camp as this camp is designed purely for focus upon conditioning, skills development, and fundamentals. We recommend the players where light clothing; T-shirt, shorts, socks and rubber cleats. Also, bring plenty of water! Most kids bring a half-gallon jug of ice water with their name written on the jug.

GHYFL GRIZZLY FALL TACKLE FOOTBALL COMBINE AND PRACTICE:

Dates, times and locations are always subject to changes so please continue to visit the Grizzly website for updates. At this time Tryouts (also known as the 'Combine') will begin Monday, August 7th and run through Friday, August 11th, from 6 PM to 8 PM. Players will be divided up into weight divisional practice for the first week at several different locations in the area. Check the event calendar on the home page for your location.

After the first week, a drafting of players will occur. Parents and players will be informed after the draft of who their coach will be.

After the first week and the draft, practice will continue to be held 5 nights a week, 2 hours per night until school starts.

New Players are encouraged to attend sports training camps prior to the season start. Visit the Grizzly website for more information regarding recommended training camps.

Please wear light clothing for the first night of Combine; t-shirt, shorts, socks and rubber cleats.

Helmets are permitted the second night at coaches discretion; Helmets and pads are permitted on the third night with light to no contact drills, again at coaches discretion; Full pads and contact drills are permitted on the fourth night and thereafter.

Ankle Biter division will practice at TBD.

80 lb division will practice at TBD.

90 lb division will practice at TBD.

100 lb division will practice at TBD.

115 lb division will practice at TBD.

130 lb division will practice at TBD.

150 lb division will practice at TBD.

There will be field commissioners assigned to each field to help things run smoothly.

After the school year begins, teams will practice 3 nights per week, 2 hours per night with actual practices days being decided by the coaching staff.

GHYFL FALL TACKLE FOOTBALL DRAFTING OF TEAMS:

Teams are drafted in compliance with the FCYFL rules. This is done to ensure that teams from different leagues are most equally matched in age, weight, and ability.

Ankle Biter teams will be drafted using an S draft method since this is a developmental division and is designed to create as equal teams as possible.

80 lbs. and higher divisions will be drafted as follows – American Players will be drafted. The draft will then take place for Central and National teams.

Team draft usually takes place on the first Saturday after the Combine. However, the American Team draft may occur post this weekend draft and information regarding this will be provided by the American League Team coaches.

GHYFL FALL TACKLE FOOTBALL GAMES:

Games begin in mid-September and continue through the end of October.

Games may be played on Saturday or Sunday. On occasion, a game may be played during the week.

Playoffs, bowl games, and all-star games may begin towards the end of October.